Colm Brady is originally from Longford, but now lives in Galway City, where he has been a serial student in several creative writing classes. Colm says he has “now graduated from being an accountant who writes to a writer who works at anything.” He recently completed an MA in Writing at NUIG. Colm’s work has appeared on the Virtual Writer website and elsewhere. He was shortlisted for the 2008 Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading.

Fiona Claire is an actress and writer who lived for many years in Los Angeles, but now lives in County Galway. She has worked in numerous television shows, including Third Rock From The Sun, Star Trek Voyager, and King of Queens, and in films such as L.A. Confidential, and Contact. She has written a collection of fables for adults, one novel and is working on a second. She was a Featured Reader at the November 2006 Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library.

Jim Mullarkey lives in Galway. He was a member of Galway City Council for 1993 to 1999 before turning his hand to writing. He has been short-listed for the Raymond Carver Short Story Award and the Fish Short Story Competition. His story ‘Heaven’ was runner-up in the RTE Francis McManus Award. Jim read at the inaugural Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading in April 2006.

Mike McCormack is a Mayo-man and was born in 1965. He studied English and philosophy at UCG, as it was then, and has published three books, Getting it in the Head, 1996 - a collection of short stories – and two novels Crowe's Requiem, 1998 and Notes from a Coma, 2005. He teaches fiction on the MA in Writing at NUIG and for three years was writer in residence at NUI Galway. He is currently finishing a book of short stories.

There is no entrance fee. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Galway City Council.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

The short-list for the 2008 Over The Edge New Writer of the Year competition is as follows:

Megan Buckley, Galway

Fiona Clark Echlin, Tipperary

Denise Garvey, Galway

Eamonn Harrigan, Galway

Brian Kirk, Dublin

Tom Lavelle, Galway

Wes Lee, New Zealand

Mary Madec, Galway

Donny Mahoney, Dublin

Alan McMonagle, Galway

Brendan Murphy, Galway

Mairin O'Grady, Kildare

Aiden O'Reilly, Dublin

Hans-Joachim Quade, Galway

Evelyn Walsh, Dublin

The winners will be announced by competion judge, Celeste Augé, at the Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 25th, 6.30-8pm, when the Featured Readers will by Colette Bryce, Des Kavanagh & Orla Higgins. The reading is sponsored by Poetry Ireland.

The August Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, August 28th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Vincent Flannery, Bernie Crawford & Roddy Lumsden (pictured).

Vincent Flannery was born in Warrington, England but grew up in Ballyglunin, Co. Galway. He works with Family Support Services with the HSE in Galway. He has participated in creative writing classes at Galway Technical Institute. In 2007 Vincent made the long list for the Over the Edge, New Writer of the Year competition with his short story, 'Choices'. He has written several other short stories and has recently completed his first novel, Blackbird, which he hopes to have published in the near future.

Bernie Crawford is originally from County Limerick, but moved to Galway in the early nineteen eighties and now lives in Maree, Oranmore. She has lived and worked extensively in southern Africa, including Lesotho, Zambia and Tanzania. Bernie has been writing poetry on and off for some time, but started writing more seriously two years ago. She was recently a participant in the Advanced Poetry Workshop at Galway Arts Centre.

Roddy Lumsden has published four books of poetry, most recently Mischief Night - New & Selected Poems (Bloodaxe). His fifth collection Third Wish Wasted is due in early 2009. Originally from St Andrews in Scotland, Roddy lives in London where he teaches for The Poetry School. He has done editing work on several prize-winning poetry collections and is organiser and host of the reading series BroadCast in London. He is currently compiling Identity Parade, a major anthology of recent British and Irish poets.

As usual there will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Award winning poet Dave Lordan is giving a new round of creative writing classes at Bray Institute of Further Education (www.bife.ie/nightclasses 012866233) beginning on Monday 22nd Sept (Beginners) and Tuesday 23rd Sept (Intermediate). The course will last ten weeks and the cost is 95 euro.

COURSE OUTLINE

* THE OVERALL AIM OF THE COURSE IS TO GIVE STUDENTS THE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR OWN WRITING VISION ALONG WITH THE METHODS TO CARRY THAT VISION OUT.

* A WIDE VARIETY OF SHORT TEXTS FROM WRITERS AND CRITICS WILL BE USED IN PHOTOCOPY. HOWEVER, THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE ON LOOKING AT AND IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ OWN WORK

* STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN REALISTICALLY ACHIEVABLE GOALS AND SHORT, BUT USEFUL, CREATIVE WRITING EXERCISES TO COMPLETE EACH WEEK..

* AT THE END STUDENTS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN SMALL AND WELL-WORKED CREATIVE WRITING PORTFOLIO.

* THE COURSE CAN BE TWEAKED TO SUIT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND ABILITIES.

WEEKS 1-4 BASICS OF WRITING

INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING- WHY WRITE.

Using quotations and short texts from experienced and successful Creative Writers we allow each individual student to come to establish and express their own particular motivations for writing.

WHAT TO WRITE- A LOOK AT GENRE AND SUB-GENRE.

The decision to begin writing creatively is the first step in a huge and sometimes bewildering journey. One of the first questions we will need to provide an answer for is what should we write? Films? Poetry? Horror? Aphorisms? Comic strips? Invent a completely new genre to suit ourselves? The answer depends on personal circumstances, as well as ON the individual talents, goals and insights of the students. This session will look at students bringing to bear their talents and insights on the particular genre/s of writing most suitable to them.

HOW TO WRITE-INSPIRATION AND ROUTINE.

The focus is on finding the space, time and method, in the light of each students individual personality, goals and circumstances to write. Keeping notebooks. Regular writing sessions. Personal deadlines. Short, medium and long term goals.

READING AND WRITING-LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS.

A look at the work and techniques of some of the great masters of past and present. The supreme importance of wide and constant reading to improving one's own writing. The focus here is on the infinite variety of writing masks and voices, with the aim of building up each student's belief in their own individual vision and powers of expression.

WEEKS 5-8 INTO ACTION

BUILDING A CREATIVE WRITING PORTFOLIO

In this central part of the course we will take turns to provide group feedback and constructive criticism on each other's work. The aim is to build up student's ability to be objective in analysing and bettering their material. Over the course of the four weeks the students will build up a small portfolio of work in at least two genres. The students will realise through this that consistent work and genuine criticism improves their writing. They will also have the basics of a portfolio needed to apply to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Creative Writing.

WEEKS 9-10 KEEPING GOING

STICKING AT IT 1- EDITING AND PERSEVERANCE.

How to be ruthless in applying the editor's pen to your own work. Drafting, redrafting and proofreading. How to bring work to a satisfactory completion. This session will also look at Writing as a life-long journey and at how to make a long term space for writing in your life.

STICKING AT IT 2- OUTLETS FOR YOUR WRITING.

This session looks at how to find an appreciative and responsive audience for your writing. Publishing and self-publishing. Magazines and online journals. Creative writing groups. Publishers and agents. Teaching students finally that the most important audience for their writing is themselves.

FOLLOW UPS TO CONSIDER

1) STUDENTS ORGANISE A READING TO WHICH STUDENTS TEACHERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE INVITED.

2) STUDENTS PREPARE AND PUBLISH A JOINT COLLECTION OF THEIR WORK.

Either or both of these suggestions usually generate press interest and are huge feel-good factors for the students, as well as generating positive feedback for the school. They are a record of the class's achievement and as such are something the school can point to when trying to attract further students.